hydraulic steering question

[Rick Donovan]

I do not want to steal Denny's time on his question about a loss of
oil, but his question prompted me to ask the following similar question.

how much "feel" do you have when steering the boat models equipped
with hydraulic steering?

I was on a friend's boat recently to help deliver it south a couple
of hundred miles and it's hydraulic steering was terrible. there was
no feel or effort what so ever at the helm. it was also really easy
to over steer and then chase yourself all over the bay trying to get
it back on course. the auto pilot also seemed to have similar
problems unless the gain was turned up quite high.

I was told that the oil level had been checked before launch and it
was ok, the boat had just passed a marine survey with flying colors
and I have to assume the surveyor checked all of the steering
components involved and I was told that the boat has been like this
since new by the seller who was onboard for an afternoon with us. if
I were the new owner, I would pursued this much more because I have a
real problem with that answer, but I needed to stay out of it due to
lack of experience with hydraulic steering. no sense sticking my foot
in my mouth if you know what I mean.

I have no experience with this arrangement for steering but was not
impressed by it at all.

anyone care to comment??

Rick Donovan
Biddeford, Maine

[Palio]

The Beneteaus employ a hydraulic system that allows the user to adjust
the feedback from the wheel. I haven't messed with this on my (used)
boat because I'm happy with the way it came. I understand from earlier
posts on the subject that some of the settings have to do with the
state of the wheel when in autopilot - freewheel vs. stationary. This
is done with a 3-position lever (similar to a seacock) on one of the
hydraulic hoses near the rudder post/hydraulic ram.

Lloyd Bray
Oceanis 40cc

[Ron Witt]

You do have feel. Not all steering is created equal.
Ron Witt

[pegasu...@aol.com]

Rick,

Hydraulic steering has no "feel", as in feel you normally get with cable steering.
It took my a while to get used to the hydraulic steering, least the first sailing season.

You learn to rely on other feedback systems rather than "feel"..But when saiiling in heavy air and long journeys, they are a blessing.

Joe/Dallas/B42cc

-----Original Message-----
From: Rick Donovan <rdono...@maine.rr.com>
To: Benetea...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Sun, 17 May 2009 6:39 pm
Subject: {Beneteau Owners} hydraulic steering question

I do not want to steal Denny's time on his question about a loss of  
oil, but his question prompted me to ask the following similar question.

how much "feel" do you have when steering the boat models equipped  
with hydraulic steering?

I was on a friend's boat recently to help deliver it south a couple  
of hundred miles and it's hydraulic steering was terrible. there was  
no feel or effort what so ever at the helm. it was also really easy  
to over steer and then chase yourself all over the bay trying to get  
it back on course. the auto pilot also seemed to have similar  
problems unless the gain was turned up quite high.

I was told that the oil level had been checked before launch and it  
was ok, the boat had just passed a marine survey with flying colors  
and I have to assume the surveyor checked all of the steering  
components involved and I was told that the boat has been like this  
since new by the seller who was onboard for an afternoon with us. if  
I were the new owner, I would pursued this much more because I have a  
real problem with that answer, but I needed to stay out of it due to  
lack of experience with hydraulic steering. no sense sticking my foot  
in my mouth if you know what I mean.

I have no experience with this arrangement for steering but was not  
impressed by it at all.

anyone care to comment??

Rick Donovan
Biddeford, Maine

---

We found the real 'Hotel California' and the 'Seinfeld' diner. What will you find? Explore WhereItsAt.com.

[pegasu...@aol.com]

lloyd

You can not adjust feel because there is no feel
Joe

[Andrew Callahan]

Rick,
 
I have a 36 CC with hydraulic steering and found that it remains totally different from cable despite nine years of working with it. There is no feel whatsoever at the helm under any conditions (no weather helm although the sound and size of the quarter wave does help) and one can find himself overpowered without any warning from the helm,and as such,I find myself oversteering, especially going downwind. That said, it is also effortless and very sensitive to any wheel movement, often course corrections can be made by moving the wheel less than 1/2 inch, 1 or 2 fingers or toes on the wheel and no fatigue, enabling the consumption of one's favorite beverage under most conditions although it seems that I am tweaking constantly from my previous effort to stay on track.  With time and practice it does get better, (i.e. one gets used to it's quirks) but the hardest part is not appreciating the feel of the helm and getting used to way smaller wheel movements. I suspect an autopilot would be beneficial but I like the hands on (well, in this case, fingers on) approach.
 
Kevin
 
 
> To: Benetea...@googlegroups.com
> From: rdono...@maine.rr.com

> Subject: {Beneteau Owners} hydraulic steering question

> Date: Sun, 17 May 2009 19:39:22 -0400

[Rick Donovan]

thanks every body for your comments to my question.

from what I read it sounds like the hydraulic steering works
differently on the Beneteau models using it than what I experienced
on my buddies boat.

my trouble went something like this. say I need to adjust my heading
with a small turn to port a few degree's, I turn the helm a little to
port side, then a little more and a little more and the boat finally
starts to turn. I then turn the wheel back toward the original
starting position, i.e. center, and the boat continues to turn to
port slowly so then you need to turn to starboard a little bit trying
to cancel the turn to port, then a bit more starboard and a bit more
and then the boat turns back towards port. returning the wheel back
to about center does not stop the slow turn and then the chase is on
trying to hold a course. the autopilot is only slightly better. it
also wanders back and forth in a similar fashion. it acts to me as if
there is air somewhere in the system but when I questioned the
previous owner a bit he told me it has always been this way.

maybe spending some more time onboard would help but the fact that
the autopilot seems to struggle in flat calm water was a bad sign to
me that all is not right on the good ship lollipop.

Rick Donovan
Biddeford, Maine

[Ron Witt]

Rick,
What you describe is the boat not the system. I don't have that problem with
the 42cc. The autopilot indicator shows rudder angle which I use constantly.

Ron Witt
----- Original Message -----

From: "Rick Donovan" <rdono...@maine.rr.com>
To: <Benetea...@googlegroups.com>

Sent: Tuesday, May 19, 2009 7:04 AM
Subject: {Beneteau Owners} Re: hydraulic steering question


>

[pegasu...@aol.com]

Rick,

You are right. the symptoms you outlined indicates he has air in the line.

I had the same identical problem when they replaced my leaking steering arm and they did not get all the air out of the system.

It took me several weeks to get all the air out by bleeding and filling with fluid.
Now it works like a champ, no wandering....at all
Joe/Dallas/Pegasus/42cc

-----Original Message-----
From: Rick Donovan <rdono...@maine.rr.com>
To: Benetea...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Tue, 19 May 2009 6:04 am
Subject: {Beneteau Owners} Re: hydraulic steering question

thanks every body for your comments to my question.

from what I read it sounds like the hydraulic steering works  
differently on the Beneteau models using it than what I experienced  
on my buddies boat.

my trouble went something like this. say I need to adjust my heading  
with a small turn to port a few degree's, I turn the helm a little to  
port side, then a little more and a little more and the boat finally  
starts to turn. I then turn the wheel back toward the original  
starting position, i.e. center, and the boat continues to turn to  
port slowly so then you need to turn to starboard a little bit trying  
to cancel the turn to port, then a bit more starboard and a bit more  
and then the boat turns back towards port. returning the wheel back  
to about center does not stop the slow turn and then the chase is on  
trying to hold a course. the autopilot is only slightly better. it  
also wanders back and forth in a similar fashion. it acts to me as if  
there is air somewhere in the system but when I questioned the  
previous owner a bit he told me it has always been this way.

maybe spending some more time onboard would help but the fact that  
the autopilot seems to struggle in flat calm water was a bad sign to  
me that all is not right on the good ship lollipop.


Rick Donovan
Biddeford, Maine

[Rick Donovan]

Joe,
thanks for that info.
I have a weekend onboard with him soon. I will see if we can find a
way to make some positive changes.

Rick Donovan
Biddeford, Maine

[Palio]

Does anyone know the right sequence of procedures to bleed a hydraulic system on one of the Beneteau Center Cockpits? Mine's a 40cc. Any help appreciated!

Cheers,

PALIO